We ask agents from around Adelaide what makes for a “good open” when it comes to getting buyers through the door

ON THE MARKET:8 Brigalow Ave, Kensington Gardens is a four-bedroom renovated and extended character home in the heart of the eastern suburbs. These types of properties tend to attract crowds at opens.

IT’S spring — the time the property market traditionally starts to buzz with increased numbers of homes on the market and warmer weather bringing out more buyers.

So what sorts of numbers make for a “good” open?

We asked agents from different parts of Adelaide what sorts of properties tend to be most popular with their buyers and how many people they would hope to come through their doors at an inspection.

Check out their responses below — the common thread seems to that on-the-mark pricing and good presentation are the key factors to getting people through your doors.

CBD

HANNAH Werner from City Realty says demand for properties in central Adelaide depends on style as well as price and presentation.

“A well-presented and correctly-priced cottage in the city can bring through 15 to 20 groups per open due to the high demand for that particular type of home, opposed to a city apartment that may only bring through around five groups per open as it’s not as desirable in the market, ” Ms Werner says.

“It can also depend highly on the exposure the property is getting, which shows how important the right marketing campaign is as well.”

ON THE MARKET:108 South Tce, Adelaide is a three-bedroom character townhouse on the market on the southern side of the CBD. It is described in its marketing as a “renovator’s delight”

EAST

IT seems character is a particular drawcard for buyers in the leafy eastern suburbs.

Nick Ploubidis of LJ Hooker Kensington/Unley says a well-presented, well-maintained home around the popular Norwood area, priced around $600,000 would attract more than 20 groups to an open.

“For a bluestone or sandstone-fronted home in Norwood or Unley you would get in excess of 40 to 50 or 60,” Mr Ploubidis says.

Stephen Venn of Harcourts Venn Millar agrees “character is what brings the big numbers” at opens.

Mr Venn, who sells in Adelaide’s south eastern suburbs, including Cumberland Park, Mitcham, and Colonel Light Gardens says he would expect 30 to 40 people at the first open of a character home.

“They’re the most popular, there’s no question of that — the more conventional homes without character features the numbers drop off about 50 per cent,” he says.

ON THE MARKET:94 Phillis St, Maylands is a three-bedroom character home with wooden floors and ornate ceilings on the market for $795,000 to 825,000.

SOUTH

SOUTHERN suburbs buyers know their stuff and are extremely price-sensitive — a factor that is reflected in open numbers, Century 21 Southern sales consultant Max De Boo says.

He explains the area, which is relatively affordable, attracts high numbers of young buyers in particular, who tend to be tech savvy with all the latest real estate apps and searches at their fingertips, meaning they know the market.

“They will come along and say ‘there’s a pool next door’ because they’ve done an aerial search,” Mr De Boo says.

They also tend to be looking within particular school zones.

And then there’s price.

“In the south, for the number of people that walk through the door overwhelmingly the number one factor is price,” he says.

“If the public perceive it to be under market value you may get 12 to 20. If you’re over market value that might drop away to twos and threes.”

Looking further out, towards Willunga, McLaren Vale, McLaren Flat and Mount Compass, Nick van Vliet of First National Real Estate Nick van Vliet says numbers at semirural opens tend to be smaller than you might expect close to the CBD, but pricing is still crucial.

“I’ve got people looking for the escape to the country … they are looking for a self sustainable life with a vegi garden and fruit trees,” he says, explaining homes with land are among the most popular he sells.

“Out here, 10 is a good number (at opens). It’s nothing like the city, where I’ve heard of numbers of 30 to 50 or 60.”

He says he had one especially popular property in Dingabledinga that had attracted 27 groups to an open — an exceptionally high number for the area. The home is set on just under 1ha of land with plenty of water and picturesqe scenery.

But it’s popularity was largely about price — it is being advertised at $639,000.

PROPERTY types can vary as you head from Salisbury to areas like Andrews Farm and Playford, and numbers at opens can vary wildly, depending on what is on offer, says Andrew Harvey of Raine & Horne Salisbury.

Buyers tend to be drawn to homes that are typical of their location.

“Some houses if I got three I would say I’m happy. It depends on the house. (Usually) I would feel pretty happy with six to eight,” he says.

WESTERN suburbs buyers just love a well-presented character home — a factor that gets reflected in open numbers, says Peter Kiritsis of Ray White Woodville.

“If you have a character home on a good-size block you can expect anywhere between 20 to 30 groups of people to come through,” Mr Kiritsis says.

“If you have a new or near-new modern courtyard I’d expect five to 10 through.

“Conventional homes are less appealing. 1960s red brick homes that look like ex-trustee homes- they don’t have the street appeal. At those opens you would get five to 10.”

Location also plays a big part in determining open numbers in the west.

“The extremely busy opens are the ones at beachside and city fringe,” Kr Kiritsis says.

He adds the west is gaining in popularity with buyers generally.

“We’re seeing people transitioning to this side of town based on affordablilty — the west is becoming very trendy and so it should be with all the convenience we have on this side of town.

“Adelaide people love character homes. Even interstate buyers are wanting to buy character homes in Allenby Gardens, Woodville and Cheltenham — they’re wanting a character home on a large block along with good public transport because they’re used to that interstate.”

12 Russell Tce, Woodville is a four-bedroom character home with potential on a 1220 sqm block. It will go to auction later this month.

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